I recently had the amazing honor of being coauthor with Dr. Temple Grandin on the book The Loving Push: How Parents and Professionals Can Help Spectrum Kids Become Successful Adults. (Future Horizons, 2016) and wanted to get the word out.

This book gives an intimate peek into the lives of 8 individuals (male and female, ages 18-57) on the spectrum. Using their real names, photos, and interviews with family members, teachers, and other people who have been important in their lives, their stories are used throughout the book to illustrate successful strategies to transition to adulthood.

Section 2 helps parents overcome their instinct to protect instead of providing loving pushes that help their child or teen (or adult child) stretch and maximize their unique abilities. It also provides tools for helping youth who are unmotivated or discouraged, or struggling with anxiety, stress, or depression, or lack of confidence.

An entire chapter is devoted to the dangers of online gaming (which is a looming problem, especially for males not the spectrum), with the hope that it is both a wake-up call and tool kit for parents.

The final section walks readers through how to teach youth vital skills that will be necessary for their adult life. Emphasis is on customizing approaches that fit the way autistic youth learn and process information, because standard approaches that work for neurotypical kids may not work, or even backfire.

Each year 50,000 youth diagnosed on the spectrum exit high school. We hope this book is a tool to help them and their families successfully navigate the next phase of their journeys.